Laundry machine



2 Sheets-Sheet l H. wlLsEY LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 19', 19:50

Feb. 23, 1932.

H. wlLssEl LAUNDRY MACHINE Feb. 23, 1932.

Filed April 19; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ww faery/VM E@ @@)f Patented Feb. 23, 1932 IRVE'N H. WILSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LAUNDRY MACHINE Application led April 19,

The invention relates to power-driven a itating mechanism' for clothes-washing or li re machines, and has for its general object the provision of a machine Vof this character .5 which is simple and inexpensive in construction; is of compact arrangement and light weight; can be made small in size, and washes thoroughly, gently and efficiently. y

Another object of the invention is to prolo vide a machine of this character embodying i a new and improved means for actuating an agitating device.` Y Y A further object resides in the provision of a novel device for laundry purposes vwhich includes a cushioned actuating instrumentality adapted toimpart to the agitating mechani sm an elastic driving force which will yield even so far as to permit the mechanism to be entirelystopped in case unusualreistance to in movement of said mechanism is encountered.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of this character, a pneumatically actuated means for operating the washing mechanism, which means embodies l5 a control element therefor connected to and operated by said washing'mechani'sm.

More specifically stated, it is an object of the invention to produce a novel and improved washing machine having a plunger 3 or agitator which is reciprocable byfa motor operable by differential air pressures and utilizing atmospheric pressure as` the driving force opposed toV sub-,atmospheric Vpressure created by a suction device such as a fan or pump, the said suctionv device being located at will either upon the machine or at a distance therefrom. If located distantly, the suction device may be an `ordinary household vacuum cleaner.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a side elevation of a laundry 4,3 machine embodying the invention, parts thereof being broken away'to permit of clearer illustration. i i

Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe machine. Fig. 3 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, 5o of the driving mechanism and vassociated 1930. Serial No. V445,562.

parts and is taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

v F ig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the control mechanism taken on the line 1r-4 of Fig. 3.

F ig. 5 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4I illustrating another position of said mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of said mechanism as indicated by the-.line 6--6 of Fig. 4:.

Particularly describing the illustrated form of the present invention, 1() designates generally a container of any suitable construction. The container may be` of any desired size,` and in the present embodiment is shown as being of small dimensions, especiallyadapted for use where space is limited as, for example, in small apartments. The container may havel any desired shape such as the illustrated cylindrical, vertical wall 11 formed integrally with a Hat bottom 12.

A cover 13 for the open top of the container is arranged to be securely held thereon by such means as a pair of oppositely disposed latches 14 carried by the cover. Yreferably, the cover has a downwardly extending peripheral flange 15 snugly engaging the upper margin of the vertical wall of the container in order to render the container substantially water tight when the cover is in place. Handles 16 on'the cover and 17 on the container may, if desired, be provided to facilitate handling the machine.

An agitator device, generally indicated at 18, of any suitable construction is mounted within the container for movement relative thereto. The device illustrated in the present instance comprises a cup-shaped member 19 carried on the lower end of a .vertically disposed rod or stem 20 which is arranged to extend upwardly through the cover 13 substantially on the axis of the container. The movement of the present agitator device is one of vertical reciprocation.

The mechanism by which the reciprocatory movement is imparted to the agitator device comprises a pressure fluid operated motor 21 which, for convenience, is mounted on the cover 13. With reference to Figs. 1 and 3, a

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machine.

closed Cylinder 22 is supported on the cover 13 by a plurality of brackets 23, with the axis of the cylinder extending vertically of the machine and coaXially of the agitator stem 20. `he stem extends slidably through bearing apertures formed in the upper and lowerends or heads 24 of the cylinder and is pinned, as at 25, or otherwise rigidly secured to a piston 26 within the cylinder.

Vhile the motor is capable of being operated by a created pressure, the present embodiment contemplates an arrangement vby which atmospheric pressure is utilized to move the piston in one directionor the other, the variance or differential in pressures between'opposite ends ofthe cylinder being effected by a means which decreases the pressure in the end of the cylinder not in communication with the atmosphere.

The pressure reducing means utilized in connection with `the present device may be mounted on the machine as part thereof, or may be mounted at a considerable distance from the ln this embodiment vthe pressure reducinj/nnians comprises an exhaust `fan 27 of suitable ,oiilstruction which is enclosed in av housing 28^and is driven by an electric motorg).

Thr-Vian,housing, and motor are shown in f' Fig. 1 as'beinglmounted'on the cover-13 adj acent the motor 21. -A conduit 30 leads from thelowpressure or suction side of the exhaust housing 28 to a control mechanism, generally yindicated. at 31` by which colmnunication of the conduit 30 is established. with one or the other end of the cylinder. lVhere the pressure reducing` unit 'is'mounted at a dist-ance fromthe machine, the conduit 30 is of increased length to connect the unit with the control-member 31 and may embody a section of flexible tubing` 32 (Fig. l.) It is contemplated. `in'this connection, that the pressure reducingunit of a vacuum cleaner may Ybe employed'tooperate the present machine.

The control means 31 serves the dual purpose of establishing communication between onelside'of the cylinder and the pressure reducing conduit 30, and, at the rsame time, opening the opposite'end of the cylinder to atmosphere. rllhe control means is operable toreverse these connections. ln the present embodiment, the ycontrol member (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is inthe form of a suitable valve mechanism rigidly mounted upon the` upper head ofthe cylinder. In its preferred form.y

'the valve mechanism comprises a stationary outer casing 33 in the form of a closed elongated cylinder and an inner valve member adapted for rotational movement relative to .the casing.

The .casing has a port 35 communicating with atmosphere and a second opposed port 36 communicationg with the interior of the conduit 30. Intermediate the ports 35, 3G is a third port 37 which communicates with a short duct 39. The duct 39 opens into the upper part of the cylinder 22 through the upper head 24. If desired, the duct 39 may be used to support the casing of the valve mechanism on the cylinder. Opposed from the port 37 is a fourth port 38 which communicates witha conduit 40 extending between said port and a port 41 (Fig. 3) opening into the lower part of the cylind-er.

The valve member .34 comprises a diametrically extending partition 42 arranged to divide'the interior of the casing into two sections. Preferably, the partion is supported by a cylindrical sleeve member 34a fitting snugly in the casing 33. Axially of the casing, `the partition is enlarged to provide a hub portion 44 through which-a shaft 45 e2.:-

tends The shaft is journalled in the opposite ends 46 (Fig. 6) ofthe casing 33 to support the partition for Jlimited rotative movement relative to the casing. The partition is so disposed Within the casing Athatin one position thereof the port 37 communicates with atmosphere through the -port 35, while the port 38 is in communication with theport 36 and conduit 30, and in another position reverses the connections by connecting the ports 35 and 38, and ports 36 and 3T, respectively.

The sleeve 34d has a port 47 in constant registration with the port 35 anda second port 48 similarly registering with the port 3G. The sleeve is further provided with a series of ports, designated 49. 50, 51 and disposed on opposite sides of the partition. The ports 49 and 50 selectively communicate with the port 38 in the casing when the partition is in one or 'the other of its control positions. Likewise,the ports 51, 52 selectively register with the port V37.

In describing the operation of the valve mechanism, reference is made to Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 4 shows .the position assumed bythe parts in'order to causean upward movement ofthe piston. ln this position, communication between the conduit 30 and the upper part of the cylinder'22is established through the registering ports 48 and 36 and ports 51 and 37 to reduce the pressure in the upper portion of the cylinder. Simultaneously, the lower portion of the cylinder is placed in communication with atmosphere through the port 41, conduit 40, registering ports 38 and 49, and registering ports 47 and The consequent decrease of pressure in the upper portion of the cylinder and admission of atmospheric pressure to the lower portion of the cylinder produces a movement of the piston toward the upper cylinder head.

If the partition is now rotatably shifted in a counter-clockwise direction to the opposite sido of the ports 38. 37 in the casing, the conduit 30 now communicates with the lower portion of the cylinder through the ports 3G. 48, 50, 38, conduit 40, and port 41 to decrease Lob CII

the pressure in the lower portion of the cylinder. Atmospheric pressure is now admitted to the upper portion of the cylinder through the registering ports 35, 47, 52, 37 and duct 39 to cause a reverse movement of the piston toward the lower cylinder head.

The shifting movement of the partition is eected and is controlled by the movement of the piston, preferably by mechanism which produces a quick, snap-movement of the partition in shifting from one to the other of its positions. To this end, a verticallyT ext-ending rod 53 is slidably journalled in the upper and lower ends ot the cylinder adjacent and paralleling the agitator rod 20. The rod extends through the piston 26 and on either side of the piston has a stop collar 54 adjustably secured thereto. lThe collars are preferably spaced apart longitudinally of the rod to provide a lost motion connection with the piston in the movement thereof whereby to carry the rod 53 in the direction of movement of the piston. y

The upper end of the rod 53, externally of the cylinder, is connected to an arm 55 by means of an intermediate link 56 which is pivoted both to the rod and the end of the arm. In the present instance the arm 55 is in the form of a yoke which embraces the valve casing 33. The free ends 57 oi" the yoke are journalled loosely on the opposite ends of the shaft 45 for rotational movement relative thereto. Y i

il U-shaped frame 53 embraces the casing 33 on the side of the casing opposite the arm and the ends of said frame are rigidly secured, as by the pins 59, to the shaft 45. The U-shaped iframe has an intermediate offset portion 60 arranged to straddle the conduit 30 and to engage` said conduit in one position of the frame to limit the movement thereof. One' or more contractile springs 6l are interposed between the arm 55 and the frame 58 and are preferably connected thereto at points which are spaced a considerable distance from the shaft 45.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the piston 26 is moving upwardly, the piston engages'the upper one of the collars 54 and carries the rod 53 upwardly. The rising movement of the rod 53 carrie the arm 55 therewith and swings the lever about the axis of the shaft 45. As the. piston nears the upper limit of its movement, the arm 55 causes the contractile springs 6l to swing past the axis of the shaft 45. As this occurs, the frame 58 is snapped away from its abutting engagement with the conduit 30 thereby shifting the partition to the position shown in Fig. 5. Preferably, means, such as'pins 62 projecting outwardly from the ends 46 of the casing 33 into the path oi the frame 58, limits the movement oi the frame away from its engagement with the conduit 30.

. be mounted on the piston and likewise the agitator device are reciprocated by pressure fluid agitator means. However, `if any unusual resistance is offered to the movement of the agitator device, the speed oi" the actuating mechanism-decreases proportionately. VIn fact, the flexibility of they motive `power or pressure fluid permits the actuating mechanism to be completely stopped without danger of injury to the machine orto the clothes.

`Means may be provided for stopping and starting the machine, which is separate. and

apart from the pressure reducing unit. With reference to Figs. l and 2, a suitable arrangementfor this purpose comprises a valve 63 controlling the flow of air through the conrduit y30. The valve is `manually operable by means of. a linger piece 64 and, if desired, a plate 65 having operative indicia. thereon may conduit 30 adjacent the finger piece 64. i

- Iclaim as my invention:

l. In a washing machine or the like having, `a clothes'container, and an agitator reciprocable therein, means for driving said agitator 'comprising a reciprocatory pneumatic motor mounted on the machine and connected to said agitator, suction meansfor exhausting air from opposite ends of .said motor, and valve means for controlling the effective communication of such suction means with the motor so as to exhaust the Vair from opposite ends thereof alternately, and for establishing communication between the latmosphere and the opposite ends of the cylinder alternately.

2. In a washing machine or the like having, aV clothes container, and an agitator reciprocable therein, the combination of means for operating said agitator comprising a reciprocatory pneumatic motor mounted on the machine and connected to said agitator, means for creating a decreased diii'erential pressure relative to the atmosphere and connected to opposite ends of said motor, and valve mechanism operating automatically to establish communication between the diierentia-l-pressure-creating-means and opposite ends of said motor alternately and to establish communication between the atmosphere and opposite ends of said motor y alternately.

3. A laundry machine comprising, in combination, a container having an open-top, a cover for said top, a cylinder having a vertlcal axis supported on said cover, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending from said cylinder through said cover into said container, an agitator device carried by said piston rod Within said container, 'for vertical reciprocatory movement relative thereto, a suction device, and means for connecting said suction device With First one and then the other end of said cylinder.

4. In a laundry machine having an agitator, the combination of a piston connected to said agitator, a cylinder enclosing said piston, suction creating means connected to each end of said cylinder, and means actuated by said piston for opening irst one end of said cylinder and then the other to atmosphere.

5. In a laundry machine having an agii tator device, the combination of a cylinder, a

piston in said cylinder connected to said agitator device, a valve mechanism, conduits connecting said valve mechanism with opposite ends of said cylinder, and means connected to said valve mechanism for creating reduced pressure, said valve mechanism being arranged to connect either side of said cylinder with atmosphere and the other side with said reduced pressure creating means.

' 6. A mechanism for agitating the contents of a Washing machine container comprising, in combination, an agitat r, an actuating rod connected to said agitator and extending at one end beyond the container, a cylinder coaxial with the extending end of said rod,` a piston mounted on said rod for reciprocatory movement in said cylinder, conduits communicating With said cylinder on opposite sides ot' said piston, means connecting the conduits on one side of said piston with a source of pressure less than atmosphere, means simultaneously connecting the conduits on the opposite side of the piston with atmosphere, and a device for reversing the connections effected by said means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aiixed my signature.

IRVEN H. VILSEY. 

